New office opened in Kuwait

KUWAIT: Officials cut the cake during the ceremony. (Inset) Adem Ceylan, Vice President, Sales - Middle East and Cyprus speaks during the press conference. —Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat

KUWAIT: Turkish Airlines is registering a 20-25 percent growth in sales annually on its Kuwait route. "We moved to this new office in Al Dhow Tower as we needed a bigger place. In 2011, there were five flights weekly between Kuwait and Istanbul. The number then went up to five flights daily. The Kuwait destination is growing faster than other destinations. This is why we need bigger offices and be in the center of the city," Adem Ceylan, Vice President, Sales - Middle East and Cyprus, told Kuwait Times during the opening ceremony of the new office.

"During winter, there are three flights daily between Kuwait and Turkey, while in summer there were six flights daily. Also, more destinations were added to our schedule. We fly to two airports in Istanbul - Ataturk and Sabiha - in addition to other Turkish cities including Antalya, Trabzon, Izmir and Bursa. We aim to add new destinations every year," Ceylan added.

'Exclusive Drive'

Turkish Airlines provides special services for passengers from Kuwait and Dubai flying to the United States. "Passengers from Kuwait are important to us and there are many Kuwaiti students and businessmen flying to the States. So we have prepared a special service for them called 'Exclusive Drive', which offers Business Class passengers to US a complimentary limousine drive from their house to the airport, both in Kuwait and Dubai, as well as from the airport in the US to their house or hotel," explained Ceylan.

"We also have an Arabic-language call center in Turkey. In addition, we have social media accounts on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook in Arabic, which other European carriers are not providing. Furthermore, we provide ground services at Istanbul Airport with Arabic-speaking staff," he noted.

Ceylan said the situation is impeccable in Turkey. "We registered an increase in visits from Arab tourists in August and September compared to the same period last year. When I visit shopping malls in Istanbul, I notice the large number of Arab tourists. Many of them are buying houses in Turkey. Not only during summer, but people the country in winter as well," concluded Ceylan.

New office

Turkish Airlines, Europe's best airline for the sixth year in a row, celebrated the opening of its new office, in which it welcomed its partners and stakeholders to an evening reception. The office is located at Khalid Ibn Al-Waleed Street, Al-Dhow Tower, Block7/1, Sharq, in Kuwait City, Kuwait

The event welcomed the Turkish ambassador to Kuwait, along with the airline's top travel agents from all over the country, as well as journalists, at the at Al-Dhow Tower in Kuwait City. The guests were able to witness the grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony of the new premises, followed by an entertaining cocktail reception.

Turkish Airlines has continued to meet the demands of its customers in Kuwait and throughout the globe by successfully launching several key flights to new destinations. In 2016 alone the airline launched new flights to Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine; Dubrovnik, Croatia; Kosice, Slovakia; Bogota, Columbia's capital; Panama City, Panama; Atlanta, USA; Cluj, Romania; Hanoi, Vietnam; Erbil, Iraq, and Mahé, Seychelles.

Through the expansion of these new flights, Turkish Airlines showcases its commitment to continuously providing its customers with the best possible services, which is also evident through its fleet of 334 aircraft, the airlines said in a press release.

"Today marks another great day for Turkish Airlines as we continue to expand throughout the GCC region," Ceylan said during the event. "Kuwait is one of the centers of commerce and tourism within the region and is a market of opportunity in our expansion plans. Moreover with the growing demand of our passengers and customers in the Kuwaiti market, by opening this new office, we aim to provide them with a full on-grounds support and a smoother access to leisure and business connectivity."

Crucial part

Sami Aydogan, General Manager, Turkish Airlines, Kuwait City, said: "We are delighted to celebrate this day with our distinguished guests. Our relations with our travel agents and key media journalists are a huge and crucial part of our growth, which is why it is only fitting for us to celebrate this new milestone with them. Over the decades we have focused thoroughly on enhancing our customers' experience by providing them with the best in-flight and airport services possible, especially via our business class flights, which has helped us in earning their respect and loyalty. Our philosophy is to always maintain a competitive advantage over other airlines by being a customer-oriented airline committed to the highest standard of services and we will stay loyal this mind-set."

He added: "Some new direct flights were also launched earlier last year for the first time from Trabzon, Bursa, Izmir, and Antalya to Kuwait, providing Kuwaitis with the opportunity to enjoy the beauty of these Turkish cities."

By Nawara Fattahova